, but Charlie Stanbury had no right to me in the first
instance, and now I'm not going to let the faintest thought of him stop
me in my last chance of a home and quiet, peaceful living.
Oh--Pauline--I was never the same after I discovered how Stanbury
wronged me! Nothing seemed to matter and I went from bad to worse.
But since I've been here, I've seen things in a different light, and
I'd like to stay here and bring the children away from New York and let
them grow up where they'll never hear a word about their father or
about me and Schenk."

She spoke with sad conviction, her eyes filling, her hands trembling as
she worked on at Pauline's skirt.

"You'd give up the theatre and all the rest of it, and come and live at
St. Ignace if you could?"

"Indeed I would, Pauline. Indeed, indeed I would."

"This is too droll! For here am I, pining to get away and be free of
this place for ever! But that's because I belong here."

"Yes, and because you have no children to think about. If you
had--you'd understand. While Schenk's alive he may find me any day in
New York, but I don't believe he'd ever think of looking for me here.
My mother'd know how to send the children along, I guess, and they'd
always have enough to eat and drink, and fresh air and a place to play
in, and I'm sure Mr. Poussette would be kind to them. You know he's a
funny-talking man, but he's got a real good heart, and Maisie and Jack
might have a good time here."

"Yes, I know, but----" Miss Clairville's aristocratic and
sophisticated side was dubious.

"But what? It's all very well for you, just making a fresh start,
getting married and going to Europe and wanting to see a little more of
the world than the Champlain House and St. Ignace, but I've had enough
of the world--too much! I want to bring up my children honest, honest
and respectable, and I can't do it, Pauline, in one room on Sixth Ave.
Maisie, now, wants to be out in the streets every evening; she'd
rather--than stay with me at the theatre even."

"How old is Maisie?" asked Miss Clairville suddenly.

"Why, she's most eleven years of age, I reckon. Let's see! I met
Stanbury in--seventy-seven; Maisie--yes, she's just eleven, and Jack's
nine and half. Say--wasn't it a good thing that I didn't have any
family to Schenk?"

"How can you be so very vulgar!" said Miss Clairville with a curling
lip. "But I suppose it was a good thing--the Will of God--according to
Father Rielle. E